


Words Beginning in D

by hithelleth



Series: Alphabet [2]
Category: Revolution (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Fix-It, Fluff, Future Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-13
Updated: 2013-04-13
Packaged: 2017-12-08 09:44:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/759944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hithelleth/pseuds/hithelleth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A companion piece/sequel to <i><a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/742911">Words Beginning in S</a></i>. It will make much more sense if you read that one first. Danny lives and Bass is not so alone. Bass’ take.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Words Beginning in D

_Delicate_

That is what Bass knows about Miles’ nephew. At least that is what he _knew_ – that he was delicate. He remembers a sickly little kid, all in wires and tubes, he saw only once through a door left cracked open. Rachel didn’t let anyone near, not even Miles, lest the child caught some sort of an infection.

Although Bass knows appearance can be misleading, the boy Neville brings to Philadelphia is anything but delicate. Not in that fragile way that makes you afraid something will crumble at the first gust of wind, anyway. No, Danny Matheson is more like an exquisite piece of crystal, hard and translucent, the kind that makes his fingers itch with an urge to follow every incline and angle of the finely shaped curves.

_Delicious_

There is innocence on those sweet young lips. Innocence, not naivety. It’s a treat Bass can’t recall the last time he had, if ever, and he can’t, won’t resist it, not when it’s offered freely.

He devours it like a starving man.

The strange thing is it doesn’t go away. Bass expects it to wear out and dissolve. Yet, it only gets a different glow, a new quality, like glass when it is heated up and reshaped, cut and polished, but remains crystal.

_Doubt_

The boy reminds Bass of Rachel. Except that Danny might be her opposite: looking strong whereas Rachel appears frail. Bass knows better as far as Rachel is concerned, though he is still guessing about Danny.

He can see the boy guarding his words and conduct. It is the kind of self-control Bass admires even when it is yet another trait mother and son share, another thing that makes Bass speculate how much of what Danny does or says could be a play.

Bass doesn’t let anyone see it, but he is anxious waiting for Danny to wake up after the disaster with the helicopter. Only when Danny blinks open his eyes and smiles happily, recognising Bass, too drugged and afflicted by the pain for it to be an act, Bass dares to start trusting him.  

_Danger_

People who do not associate the word with Danny Matheson are terribly wrong. Bass should know.

All the escape attempts Danny tried with Neville, the lesson he taught to that moron on the road (Bass found out, yes, and he is proud of him for that, not that he would admit it), the helicopter fiasco (referred to only as “the incident” by others when Bass is around), the stunts he pulled on the way to California and back that he has made twice (they were in favour of the Republic, so Bass is okay with them).

The biggest danger of all is underestimating the amount of danger Danny could pose. Bass knows. He knows how dangerous Danny is by just being there.

_Denial_

Bass cancels the “dead” part of the search warrants. It is a practical thing to do, after four years, and it makes him look generous.

That is all, nothing else.

It is not like he is thinking of forgiving Miles. It is not like he wants a chance for Danny to not be always separated from his family. It has absolutely nothing to do with Danny.

_Discovery_

The cottage is hidden behind an arm of a hill, a few yards from the forest edge. There are a couple of chairs and a table on the porch, even a swing for two in the far end, and evenly spaced out flower pots along the rail. A large vegetable patch is situated on its sunny side and cackling can be heard from a chicken pen in the back, mixed with the flutter of clothes hanging on a line between two trees.

 _How very domestic_ , Bass observes wryly.

He lets Danny go first, knock on the door.

It opens a crack. It is the girl, with a crossbow pointed at them.

“Danny?” There is surprise, joy, and reproach in her voice.

Bass jumps in with a reply. “Hello, Charlotte. Nice to meet you again. Finally.”

He pauses, despite not expecting an answer.

“Miles.” He calls out. “You know you’re surrounded. No point in lurking behind the door with a gun.”

The door opens more widely, truly revealing Miles, looking tense and grumpy as usually, a bit older, perhaps happier. He has a shotgun, although he has resigned to just hold it and not aim it at Bass.

“What do you want?” he grunts.

Bass leans casually against the railing as the girl drops her weapon and throws herself in her brother’s arms.

“Why?” he smirks. “Can’t I just pay a visit to an old friend?”

_Development_

Once it becomes clear no one will kill anyone – unexpected as it is, though Bass is satisfied he can keep his promise – Bass stations the company in a nearby village for a couple of days, so Danny can catch up with his sister.

In the evening, he and Miles sit on the porch with something that resembles a quite decent beer. It could be like the old times, except that the truce between them hangs in the balance, so they pick at words, carefully avoiding anything that might shatter it.

They can hear the kids – it is not the right word, Bass knows, but still can’t help think it – laugh inside the cottage now and then. The sound makes it worth pretending. So he does just that, pretends he doesn’t notice Miles is much too well-informed for someone living in the middle of nowhere (but then, it _is_ Miles), pretends he doesn’t see the way Miles lives out here alone with his niece. Just as Miles pretends to be uninterested in the East and in the Militia, pretends to not know why Bass keeps his nephew by his side.

Bass lets them be, Miles and Charlotte. No use bringing them back by force, not now.

The siblings hug for a long time as they say goodbye at the bottom of the porch steps in the morning a few days later. Bass is waiting a few steps away, Miles leaning against the doorframe, both watching.

“Come visit me in Philly, or at least write,” pleads Danny, pulling away from Charlie.

“You could stay around,” Miles throws in, all of a sudden. Danny looks up, surprised. He turns to Bass, who shrugs. Danny is free to decide for himself.

Danny shakes his head.

Suddenly, Bass breathes a whole lot more easily.

_Danny_

Bass doesn’t think of Danny as a boy anymore. He is a man now. Still young, still full of light, still sweet. Too sweet when he nestles against Bass’ side, relaxed and warm.

A distant memory comes to Bass of a time long ago when it was him who curled up against Miles spread out on the bed.

Danny sighs contentedly, stirring to find a more comfortable position. Bass caresses his hair – he suspects Danny intentionally leaves it a bit longer than he would otherwise, because Bass likes it that way – and kisses his forehead. In the moments like that the past almost doesn’t matter and Bass thinks life is not bad at all. 

**Author's Note:**

> What do you think? Good? Bad? Is it possible Danny would change Bass a bit? 
> 
> Unbeta’d, so tell me if you see something. Comments are always welcome.


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